


Incarnate

by lea_hazel



Series: The Incarnation of Jupiter Jones [2]
Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Community: purimgifts, Gen, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 11:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10162376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lea_hazel/pseuds/lea_hazel
Summary: Jupiter was immensely uncomfortable.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spoke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoke/gifts).



Kalique had assured Jupiter that there was no way for her to exercise the powers of recurrence without ascending to the highest pinnacles of the temple district, the very doorstep of the heavens. Jupiter was immensely uncomfortable. Attendants had dressed her in the robes of a priestess, the gold edging showing a status just high enough that her presence wouldn’t be too conspicuous. Yet, to the pantheon, she was just as invisible in damask and gilt as she had been down below. Nothing she saw impressed on her determination to reject the recurrence and return to her own life in the city beneath.

She trailed behind Kalique, head angled down, her eyes darting sideways looks as often as she dared. All the while Kalique maintained a running commentary on everything and everyone they passed, her voice pitched soft enough that only Jupiter could hear her. Very little of what she had to say was favorable, yet from under her lashes Jupiter could see that Kalique’s face was fixed in a gracious smile as she glided soundlessly over the polished marble floors.

“Don’t fidget,” said Kalique, “if I can sense your anxiousness, then so can the others. You’ll fray my nerves if you don’t calm yourself.”

Jupiter nodded silently.

“Don’t worry, my dear,” said Kalique. “Everything will be--”

Her face froze, her mouth twisting briefly before settling into a brighter, warmer smile.

“Stay back,” she hissed at Jupiter, “and keep your head down.”

From her position, half-hidden by Kalique’s sweeping robes, Jupiter could see a man break off from the group to their left and make his way towards the two of them. With her head down she couldn’t make out his face or even see much of the rest of him, but something about the way he moved made her uneasy. He paused, very briefly, before turning subtly to face Kalique.

“Sister,” he said. “What a fortuitous occasion.”

“Titus,” said Kalique. “It has been some time, hasn’t it? How wonderful to see you again.”

“It is,” said Titus. “It is good to see you again, Kalique, of course, my dear sister. I was referring, however, to another, perhaps even more fortunate circumstance of your arrival.”

Kalique’s smile wavered. “I’m sure I have no idea of what you might be speaking, Titus.”

Jupiter looked up just enough to see the glint in Titus’s eye, then hurriedly ducked her head again before he might notice her.

“Don’t you, Kalique? Very well.”

With no warning he lunged forward and grabbed Jupiter by the wrist. She tried to pull her arm back without thinking about it too much but of course, the god was much stronger than her and his hand closed around her like a vise.

“Brothers and sisters!” he called out, his voice echoing in the vast hall.

Every face turned to him. A slow chill crept down Jupiter’s spine like a drop of icy water.

“Brothers and sisters,” said Titus again. “My venerable siblings, that felicitous time has arrived at last. Our queen has returned!” He pulled Jupiter’s wrist and raised her arm high in the air. “Seraphi has recurred!”

Jupiter felt a leaden weight sinking down in her belly as the eyes of several dozen gods all turned on her. Behind her, Kalique hissed and swore.

“Our plans are awry, little goddess,” she said to Jupiter. “You’d better think of another reward you’d like to collect. I don’t think anonymity is an option anymore.”

The false gaiety of her welcome was grating. After less than an hour Jupiter was sure that she couldn’t endure staying in the pantheon for a moment longer. Gods, after all, were better left up in the sky, as far as possible from one’s own self. If she’d felt differently she would have become a priestess herself.

Kalique had maintained an iron grip on her arm for most of the proceedings, while Titus hovered unpleasantly nearby, trying to insinuate himself into every conversation. She could easily tell that Kalique was the more well-liked of the two, and higher in the other gods’ esteem. Titus, however, was more feared, and neither of them were particularly trusted. At least, Jupiter herself certainly didn’t trust either of them, and if a girl from the lower city was smart enough to see that they each had their own agenda, she doubted the pantheon had missed it. It struck her now and then that these two vipers were her children— _no_ , no, they were Seraphi’s children. The goddess Seraphi, who died on the day she was born, and whom Jupiter had no intention of becoming.

If only she knew how to escape it, but she didn’t even know how to get away from the stifling gathering of gods in which she was currently trapped. At last she managed to give both Kalique and her brother the slip, and ducked behind some hangings to a small alcove. The air was close with the smell of perfume or burning incense, but it was relatively quiet and she was, at least, alone. Maybe with a few quiet moments to herself she would be able to figure out a way out of all this mess.

[](http://imgur.com/KmeQaGc) (click to embiggen)


End file.
